Kerry Deaf Resource Centre 16.12.13
TRIP TO ETHIOPIA JULY 2014.
Towards the end of July 2014, a group of Irish & American CODA’s (Children
of Deaf Adults) will travel to Ethiopia including our own Veronica White &
Willie White. Participants from a previous trip three years ago will also be
travelling.
The group will visit a Deaf school in Ambo in December 2012, which we have
been supporting as part of the Ethiopia Deaf Project.
While they are in Ethiopia, they will meet with the Deaf community again in
Ambo and will provide training and workshops- this will include team
building, self esteem, self-confidence and empowerment building. It will
also give the team the opportunity to visit the school, which celebrated its
first birthday in December 2013, and talk with the local community about
their dreams and visions for the proposed training centre and Deaf centre.
As part of the trip, they also hope to visit the Centre for Deaf Studies,
Deaf schools and services in Addis Ababa.
Your support would be greatly appreciated. Any amount from 1 euro upwards
will be accepted with gratitude. If you would like to donate to Willie or
Veronica, donations can be dropped into our Centre or you can go to
www.gofundme.com/
a Zip/Postal Code, type in your home town)
WFD-WASLI JOINT STATEMENT ABOUT THE SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETATION AT MANDELA’
S MEMORIAL SERVICE.
The memorial service for late South African President Nelson Mandela took
place on Tuesday, 10 December 2013 in Johannesburg, South Africa. The World
Federation of the Deaf (WFD) and the World Association of Sign Language
Interpreters (WASLI) are concerned about the quality of sign language
interpretation during that event.
The memorial service was followed on television by several deaf South
Africans, who were disappointed on the level of interpretation of this high
level gathering. A board member of the WFD Youth Section, Braam Jordaan
described that the interpreter did not know South African Sign Language
(SASL): “The structure of his hand, facial expressions and the body movement
did not follow what the speaker was saying.” He raised concerns also how
this interpreter was chosen to interpret without any professional
qualifications, evaluations and screening. Also the current WFD
Vice-President Wilma Newhoudt-Druchen followed the event on television and
confirmed the poor level of sign language interpretation. She commented:
“What is he signing? He knows that the deaf cannot vocally boo him off.
Shame on him.” During the television broadcasting a proper sign language
interpreter was provided on the left corner of the screen, which made it
obvious that the interpreter, who was present in the event, did not know
SASL or any sign language at all.
WFD and WASLI would like to announce a public statement about the importance
of quality interpreter services in any public event. It is the
responsibility of organisers to ensure that access to information is
guaranteed for deaf audience. Article 21 of the UN Convention on the Rights
of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) points out that deaf people have a
right to choose their form of communication and State Parties shall ensure
“accepting and facilitating the use of sign languages and all other
accessible means of communication of their choice by persons with
disabilities in official interactions”. The same article continues that
State Parties shall take all appropriate measures to ensure recognizing and
promoting the use of sign languages. Further the Article 9 of UNCRPD
requires “State Parties to take appropriate measures to ensure to persons
with disabilities access on an equal basis with others. to information and
communications…” This means professional sign language interpreters, who
know the national sign language and deaf culture.
WFD and WASLI want to underline the need to co-operate with local Deaf
organisations, in this case in South Africa; stress the need for trained,
qualified interpreters to be used, and the emphasis on the need for access
that is based on direction from deaf people.
BEST WISHES FOR CHRISTMAS.
We will close this Friday at 1am for our annual Christmas holidays. We would
like to thank all our staff, Board members and supporters for their
continued support during 2013.
On behalf of our Board and staff, we would like to wish all our clients and
supporters a very Happy Christmas. Best wishes for a Happy and prosperous
New Year. We look forward to working with you all again when we re-open on
the 6th of January 2014.
EMERGENCY INTERPRETING COVER DURING HOLIDAYS.
If you require a sign language interpreter during the holiday period for a
legal or medical emergency, you can contact the Sign Language Interpreting
Service (SLIS). SLIS may not be able to guarantee an interpreter immediately
due to the limited number of interpreters on call. The contact number for
their 24hr Emergency Helpline is: 087 6725179.
KDRC provides services to Deaf and hard of hearing people at county level
and contributes to national issues of equality, access and rights.
OUR CONTACT DETAILS:
Kerry Deaf Resource Centre
4 Gas Tce, Tralee
Mobile (text): 087 633 4687
E-mail: [email protected]
www.kerrydeaf.com
www.facebook.com/kerrydeaf
http://www.facebook.com/
Fax: 066 712 0386
Tel: 066 712 0399